The yield strength of a material represents the amount of force the material can withstand before plastically deforming. Operating a component close to yield may be desirable to maximize the value of the asset. For example, increasing product flow within a pipeline results in greater product delivery, but puts the same pipeline under greater stress, increasing the risk of pipeline failure. Accordingly, knowing the yield strength of a component allows an operator to better utilize an asset.
The Villari effect (or inverse magnetostriction) describes the change in magnetic susceptibility observed when some materials are subject to a mechanical stress.